TC staff and Thacher School students enrolled in the “Conservation Field Techniques” class (a collaborative course between TC and Thacher School) went on their first field trip up to the Sespe Wilderness to record stream conditions and survey for Southwestern Pond Turtles. It was too cold for any ectotherms to be out, but we were able to identify three stretches of the Sespe River that we plan to use as long-term pond turtle study sites, and the students analyzed the water quality and searched for macroinvertebrates. We’re heading back out to the field sites a few more times in April and May to survey again and hopefully document the stream conditions that correlate with the spring emergence of pond turtles in the area.